The Solar Outlet

Entrepreneurship
Innovation Plan Event

Produced by:
Stephen Bray
Tayler Rae Roney

Castro Valley High School

19400 Santa Maria Ave.
Castro Valley, CA 94546
Castro Valley DECA
February 27, 2015
Table Of Contents
I.

II.

Executive Summary
1
Proposed Product/ Business/ Service Idea
2
A. Explanation of the Product
B. Description of the opportunity that exists
C. Description of the Target Market

III.

Rationale and Feasibility

3
A. Trend
B. Differentiation
C. Potential

IV. Conclusion

V. Bibliography

I. Executive Summary
The Solar Outlet has created a way to provide endless amounts of power to electronics.
The portable aspect creates easy accessibility of energy wherever you may go. Whether youre
camping, vacationing, working, or even stuck in a car the Solar Outlet can be used anywhere
with absolutely no struggle. Unlike other chargers which have
the huge problem of needing endless amounts of electricity to
work, the Solar Outlet sticks true to its name in being 100%
Solar, taking energy from the sun and light to produce
electricity. This aspect will have a colossal effect on consumers
who have to go a period of time without electricity.
The Solar Outlet has a very large potential to grow in the
consumer market. Even though the initial target market will be
to campers, hikers, and outdoors-men, it can be in every house
in America as an emergency tool to use when there is no
electricity and no light. The Solar Outlet can also be sold to
foundations like the Red Cross who can use it to bring help to
disaster stricken areas or third world countries. So many
generators today call themselves portable because they have
wheels on them when in reality they weigh 50 pounds and are
not really portable. The Solar Outlets lightweight design allows
it to be carried easily and moved anywhere it is needed. Thats

why the Solar Outlet will make the lives of millions so much simpler. The buyer will no longer
need to find an outlet to charge their electronics, because they will always have an outlet with
them wherever they go. The Solar Outlet is truly suited for our new era by creating the
opportunity for easy accessibility in a charger, while providing a way for consumers to buy into
creating a better, healthier world.
A small investment of $50,000 will go a long way for this company. Since it a a small, developing
company, much of this money will be spent on solely getting our name out there. $10,000 will be spent on
the advertisement of the company will billboard ads and commercials. Most of the investment will be
spent on increasing inventory to sell our product to large name stores like REI and Any Mountain.
Another small quantity of the money will be spent on the further development of the product to make it
more user friendly.

The objectives for the Solar Outlet are:

I.
Sell 2,000 units in 3 months after first release
II.
Expand out of California within 6 months
III.
$250,000 in revenue in the first year
IV. Create an easy to use website with an average of 1000 viewers per day within the
first year

II.

Proposed Product/ Business/ Service

A. Explanation of the Product

The Solar Outlet is a revolutionary new product to the power industry. It allows consumers to
have the power and comfort of their home wherever they go. In a world filled with environmentally
destructive fossil fuels, The Solar Outlet is the next big product in the green power revolution. It is a
power outlet that is directly connected to a solar panel to generate electricity that can be used to power
any electrical device. The Solar Outlet can be taken anywhere no immediate source of power is available,
including remote places out in the forests or even just in the consumers local park. With a solar panel that
can can generate an unending source of power, there is no need for worrying about running out of battery
or remembering to charge it. The simple, easy to use outlet
allows any device that could normally be plugged into a wall
outlet in a home to be used with The Solar Outlet.
B. Description of the Opportunity that Exists

The market for The Solar Outlet is worldwide. The need for easily accessible and efficient power
sources for advancing technology is common to everyone. There is no other product on the market that
can do what The Solar Outlet can do. Other portable chargers can only charge a phone through a small
USB port. The Solar Outlet has unlimited opportunities. Any consumer using portable electronics such as
cell phones, ipods and laptops will be able to charge them using this product. The outlet also allows for
the Solar Outlet to be used to power lights and any other item with a standard power cord. Not only can it
be used to charge all electronic devices, but it also does so without the need of fossil fuels. The solar
panel allows for easy recharging without the consumer doing any extra work and remembering to plug it
in to charge it overnight. The Solar Outlet can be used in emergency situations as well where power may
not be readily available for people to use. This is why it can also be given to organizations like the Red
Cross to bring to any emergency situation they encounter.

C. Description of the Target Market

According to the American Outdoor Federation and the Coleman Company Inc, 38 million
Americans went camping last year for a total of 516.6 million days. With this statistic in mind, the
preliminary target market of The Solar Outlet will be to consumers in the camping industry. The Solar
Outlet will first be released and sold in outdoor stores like REI and Any Mountain to ensure that it gets
the maximum exposure outdoor enthusiasts. The American Outdoor Federation and the Coleman
Company Inc also stated that, of those 38 million campers, the most popular power source was liquid
fuel, especially propane. Many campers use propane for its easy acquisition and storage because there is
no better option on the market. The US Energy Information Administration shows that over the last 20
years the price of propane has almost tripled. This continued price increase will lead to more consumers
buying The Solar Outlet for its money saving abilities. As sales increase, the target market can also be
expanded to more urban areas or anywhere power may not be readily available. The Solar Outlet can be
sold to consumers who want easy access to power outdoors at the park or having a party in the backyard.
III.

Rationale and Feasibility

A. Trend

As oil and coal become less abundant, sources of free energy will be crucial in the trek toward the
world running on complete green power. With rising prices of fossil fuels, many consumers look toward

solar power to power their homes and heat their swimming pools. With this increase in the knowledge and
use of solar panels, consumers look admiringly to the free energy received from them. This positive
image will allow more consumers to be aware of the energy saving possibilities of The Solar Outlet and
be more accepting to it. Every day more and more people are switching to solar power and leaving fossil
fuels behind. The only reason consumers are not switching to solar power is because they don't want to
spend the time for them to be installed in their house. The Solar Outlet provides a quick and easy way to
use solar power and save money and energy. As more consumers switch to solar power, The Solar Outlet
will become a dominant force in the marketplace.

B. Differentiation
The Solar Outlet is like no other product on the market. Its unique design allows for not just one
single item to be charged, but many items to be charged or powered. So many other portable chargers
only allow for the charging of a phone and nothing else. The Solar Outlet is like any normal wall outlet,
but its portability allows the user to take the comforts of power at home with them anywhere they go. So,
not only can it charge a phone or a laptop, but it can also power lights and portable electric stoves. The
Solar Outlet never needs to be recharged and can provide
continual power that is free and environmentally friendly. Other
portable generators that contain an outlet weigh over 40 pounds
and are very hard to consider portable. The Solar Outlet has a
lightweight design that really deserves the name of portable.
During an emergency situation, there will be no ability for a
consumer to carry a massive 50 pound generator for portable
power. The Solar Outlet can be taken to any place where power is needed in the aftermath of a disaster to
the people who need it.
C. Potential
The Solar Outlet will start by targeting campers and environmental enthusiasts. As The Solar
Outlet grows and becomes a more successful product, it has the potential to be a common household item.
Families can buy our product for not only emergency power, but outdoor barbeques or events as well. As

a company The Solar Outlet can grow as well and has a large earning potential. If just 10% of all
consumers who went camping last year bought The Solar Outlet, it would have 3.8 million units sold. As
The Solar Outlet grows it can be sold to homeowners and consumers who may not be campers, but still
want to use it for free energy.
IV. Conclusion
This new upcoming product has stupendous potential to achieve great progress. As oil begins to
run out, there will be a need for free, environmentally friendly energy which is what The Solar Outlet was
made for. The Solar Outlet has a large consumer market. There are millions of consumers solely in the
camping market that will need this new, innovative product to help them proceed throughout their day. It
will also appeal to eco friendly consumers that would buy this product over any other regular energy
wasting outlet. Many portable chargers claim to be portable, but in reality it takes much more effort to
move it when they weigh over 50 pounds. The Solar Outlet can really be defined as portable with its
lightweight design that can be carried anywhere. Also, the Solar Outlet is the only portable outlet that is
completely solar and takes energy from the sun. This aspect will provide an opening for consumers to
help the world be more green, and to stop destruction of our earth one step at a time.
We are requesting $50,000 to help develop this product, in exchange for a 10% stake in the
ownership of The Solar Outlet. A $50,000 investment will be split in numerous ways. The first and
biggest amount of this money will be spent on increasing the inventory of The Solar Outlet by 1,000
units. Each Solar Outlet costs around $30.00 to make at the moment. A large order of supplies will allow
us to skip the middleman supplier and go straight to the manufacturing companies which would lead to a
lower price to create the product. Another $10,000 would be spent on improving the product and its
design. At the moment it is a bit clunky and needs funding to be improved and look better. The last
$10,000 dollars would be spent on advertising and improving awareness of the Solar Outlet through local
commercials and billboards.
V. Bibliography
The Coleman Company, Inc. and The Outdoor Foundation. 2013 American Camper Report. 2013
American Camper Report (n.d.): n. pag. Web
<http://www.outdoorfoundation.org/pdf/research.camping.2013.pdf>

"U.S. Propane Residential Price (Dollars per Gallon)." U.S. Propane Residential Price (Dollars per
Gallon). U.S Energy Information Administration, n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2015.
<http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&s=M_EPLLPA_PRS_NUS_DPG&f=M>.